Casting stereotype-plates



n fra aa awr H. P. COOK, OF ALBANY, NEXV YORK.

CASTING STER-EOTYPE-PLATES.

To aZZ 'whom i ymay concern:

y Be itknown that I, Homin" P. Cook, of the city and county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Mode of and a Machine for Casting Stereotype-Plates; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to t-he accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is a perspective view of my Inachine and its connections; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the center of the same.

No. l, is the casting pan or box. l

No. 2, is the air, or condensing chamber, connecting with the inner kettle by means of the pipe 7a, and the stop cock 7.

No. 3, is the air pump.

No. 4, is the inner kettle.

No. 5, is the furnace.

No. 6, is the outer kettle; No. 7, stop cock; No. 8, air tube; llos. 9 and l0, escape pipe and stop cock.

No. ll, is a passage through the inner kettle, or an entrance through which the metal passes from the outer to the inner kettle. It is closed from within by a valve hung upon its upper rim, or edge, and shutting downward, thus allowing the free passage or entrance of fluids from without, but preventing any escape from within. (This passage should be near the bottom of the inner kettle, and its position is desig nated by the dotted circle.) lt is also shown in F ig. two, as if cut by a section through the middle.

No. 12 is the hollow pipe or tube, on which the casting pan rests and which also extends downward, wit-hin the inner kettle to nearly the bottom thereof.

The nature of my invention consists in using, by means of appropriate mechanical arrangement, the power of compressed air,

or of steam in the casting of stereotype plates, thereby insuring greater rapidity in the process of casting, with a decreased liability of injury to the plates while being cast, and at a much reduced cost of production.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I make use of two kettles, of iron, and of any size and shape necessary and convenient, one of which is placed within the p needed for casting.

ened thereto, and is an air tight, with the A exception of the entrance (marked l1) and of the hollow pipe (marked 12) and of the air tube (marked 8,) and the escape pipe and stop cock (marked 9 and 10). The construction and use of Nos. 8, 9, l0, l1, and 12 will be elsewhere referred to, and eX- plained. The inner kettle is made somewhat smaller than the outer one, so as to admit the easy introduction of additional metal into the outer kettle, when more is The opening, or space left for this purpose, should however ordinarily be kept covered with an iron plate as thereby the oxidation of the heated metal is lessened. lin the lower part of the inner kettle is made the entrance (marked 1l) fitted with its inside valve, which easily opens to any pressure from without, but is closed by any pressure from within. Through the top or cover of the inner kettle runs the hollow pipe (marked 12) extending down within such kettle nearly t-o its bottom and projecting upward to a greater or less distance, as required. ln the cover are also fitted the air tube (marked 8) and the escape tube (marked 9) each of which is provided with an air tight stop cock. These stop cocks may be attached to the air and escape tubes, or to the pipes leading from them. Upon the upper ends of the hollow pipe (marked l2) rests the casting pan or box (marked l) shutting over the nollow pipe tightly and securely. The top of the casting pan is fastened tightly to the other `part, either by clamps, screws, or any other cont-rivance. The interior space of the casting pan is made to correspond with the usual thickness of the mold and the required thickness of the plate. The hollow tube (l2) should not be of the same diameter in every part (though thus represented in the model), but funnel shaped and with the largest opening downward, that any metal which may remain in the pipe from being chilled there, or from any other cause, may be easily removed by a smart blow of a hammer or other instrument upon the smaller' and upper end. To one of the air tubes (marked 8) is attached a pipe, connecting with the air or condensing chamber,

by means of which pipe the c ompressed air is made to act upon the surface of the melted metal; and to the other air tube (marked 9) is connected another pipe, which allows the air to escape from the inner kettle after a casting has been made.

The operation of my machine or invention is substantially as follows. The kettles being placed over the furnace, and in their proper position in respect to each other, and the casting pan being attached, within which is the mold, 'ace downward, ready to be acted on by the metal,-the metal is put in the outer kettle and there melted. It being the natural law of iuids to find a common level, the melted mass flows through the passage (marked ll) into the inner kettle. Sutlicient metal must be meltedv to rise above the bottom of the hollow pipe (l2). `While the melting process has been going on, the air pump (3) has been worked and the air or condensing chamber (2) been charged to any extent required. A few strokes of the pump will give power sutlicient. It now the stop cock (l0) be closed and the stop cock (7) be opened, the compressed air will rush into the inner kettle, and instantaneously force the melted metal up the hollow pipe (l2) and' against the molds in the casting pan (l) and form the plate required. The pressure of the air and of the heated metal is in such a direction as to close tightly the valve at the opening (11) and its whole pressure is upward against the mold. As soon as the plate is cast, which is done almost instantaneously with the opening of the stop cock (7) this stop cock is shut, and No. l0 opened, and the plate is ready to be taken out of the casting pan, having been sutliciently chilled to allow of such removal, by contact. with the cool surface of the casting pan. No time is therefore consumed, as in the present modes of casting stereotype plates, in cooling the castings. The plate is also lett in a better condition for trimming, and is not liable to accident by breaking away the surrounding mass of metal. Upon actual experiment with my invention, it has also been proven that the molds may be used in a much moister state, than in any 'of the present processes, and that without injury to the plates cast therefrom; and further that it is very seldom that a plate is cracked or spoiled in the casting. In the use of my invention there is also a great saving in the article of fuel over any of the present modes; a much less quantity of metal needs be melted, at any yone time, and the loss by oxidation is therefore reduced. The keeping of the greater kproportion of the melted metal from contact with the air still further lessens the process of oxidation.

In ordinary cases the air pump will be worked by hand, but in large establishments it may be worked by steam; or the pump may be dispensed with altogether, and steam be applied directly upon the metal in the inner kettle, through the tube (8), producing the same effect and inthe same manner, as if compressed air was made use of. In each and either case the principle and effect are the same. Or an air-tight piston might be made to move up and down in the inner kettle, after the manner ot the piston in' the ordinary fire engine, which would produce the same result as the admission of condensed air or steam. Then a piston is used, it may be advisable to have an orifice near the top ot the kettle, through which air can be admitted when the piston takes it-s upward stroke, to increase the power acting upon the heated metal. When desired two kettles and their pistons may be used, which may be made to act alternately.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The manner of casting stereotype plates by the application of pressure upon the surface of the melted metal in the inner kettle which pressure forces the metal, while fluid, through a tube and upon the mold, the face of the mold being turned down to receive the metal making the casting; the whole acting substantially in the manner and upon the principles set forth and described in the above specilication.

HOBART P. COOK.

Vitnesses H. S. MCCALL, AMos DODGE. 

